The Plenary Council of Australia has passed a motion to revise a version of the section on the equal dignity of women and men in the Catholic Church.
In an altered voting format, taking place over two days last week, the members passed almost all motions in its guiding document, including all five motions in Part 4 of the document, entitled ‘Witnessing to the Equal Dignity of Women and Men’.
The Council members changed the documents to a more flexible format, allowing for a broader discussion of the issues. A total of 18 out of the 19 motions considered were passed.
The new document was published last Thursday evening.
Francine Pirola, co-director of the Sydney-based Marriage Resource Centre, welcomed the Council’s “vastly improved” revision of section 4 of the Motions and Amendments document on women.
“Instead of being comprised of only two motions, all of the action items were separated out, so that was really good and felt a lot more respectful,” she told The Catholic Weekly.
“The document was theologically more concise and accurate as well, so I think that made it easier for people to swing behind it,” she said.
“Mostly the women who had previously been very distressed seemed to be happy with it.”
Oran Park parishioner Erin Gillard said that the revision reflected the experience of women in the Catholic Church.
“It was an opportunity for a foundation and a starting point. I feel like I can go home to my daughter now and say yes, the Catholic Church values women and men, and it is a good day in that respect.”
Plenary Council president Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB addressed the assembly, saying, “There is a long way for the Church to go in the understanding of the proper role of women in the life of the Church.”
“The way we move forward to properly understand God’s plan in relation to women is important,” he said.
Other motions, including Part 5, ‘Communion in Grace: Sacrament to the World’, and Part 6, ‘Formation and Leadership for Mission and Ministry’ were passed by Council members.